Battle
of the Java Sea
During
February 27-28, 1942 was the Battle of the Java Sea, a three day / three battle engagement. The second phase occurred during the afternoon of February 27, 19412 south southwest of Bawean Island, known as the Second Battle of the Java Sea (Battle of Bawean Island). During the engagement, American, British, Dutch and Australian vessels were defeated by the Japanese Navy. The Allies lost almost their entire fleet. A few WWI four stack
destroyers miraculously got away before the battle ended, having
been ordered out of the fray when their armament and fuel was exhausted.

The Allied naval force, under the
command of RAdm Doorman, RNN of five cruisers and 11 destroyers
in Java Sea near Surabaya attack Japanese support force covering
Java invasion convoy. Japanese gunfire proves ineffective 1,271
8" rounds achieve only five hits; of those five, four are duds.
The only shell that does explode reduces the speed of HMS Exeter. Haguro torpedoes and sinks Dutch destroyer Kortenaer.

Japanese destroyer gunfire sinks British destroyer HMS Electra;
while HMS Jupiter is sunk by mine laid earlier
that day by Dutch minelayer Gouden Leeuw. Allied gunfire damages
two Japanese destroyers, but American destroyer torpedo attack proves
ineffective.

The Allied forces put to sea on February 26 on the
news that invasion convoys are approaching. Failing to find them,
they head back to Surabaya the next day, but before arriving,
more reports arrive and the Allied force goes out again towards
a position to the northwest.

The main battle starts on February 27, 1942 around 4:00pm. The Japanese Navy force includes two heavy, two light cruisers and 14 destroyers covering the Japanese transports. Both Allied heavies open fire at long range, but HMS Exeter is soon hit and her speed reduced and Hr Ms Kortenaer is torpedoed and sunk. As Exeter returns to Surabaya with the second Dutch destroyer, the Royal Navy destroyers go into action and HMS Electra is sunk by gunfire. Adm Doorman aboard Hr Ms De Ruyter heads back south towards the Java coast and sends off the US destroyers to refuel. He then turns to the north with his remaining four cruisers and two British destroyers. By now it is late evening and HMS Jupiter is lost probably due to a Dutch mine. Encounter picks up survivors from the first Dutch destroyer and shortly follows the Americans to Surabaya. The four cruisers, now without any destroyers, are in action sometime before midnight and both Hr Ms De Ruyter and Hr Ms Java are sunk by Japanese torpedoes.